by Dallas Brown

Created on: July 10, 2009   Last Updated: July 14, 2009

Oh, yes, the cell phone. I remember the day when my uncle sent me his "Bag phone," a phone in a bag in which a little antenna popped out from the side. In those days, (1995), if you were fortunate enough to stay near enough to a tower which had been newly built, you could get through to about anywhere in the country, if you knew the number to call. The phone handle, about nine or ten inches long, still gave that feel that you were "talking on the phone." The neat thing about it was, you were in the car, driving along, connected only by radio signals.

Yes, I still have that bag, but if I were to take it into Verizon today to be programmed, they would likely tell me of the incompatibility of such ancient equipment. Besides, you can get a phone named after a fruit, (Blackberry, Apple iphone,) or a cutting instrument, (A Razor), or one that doubles as a mini PC and phone, known as a PDA (which we used to fondly think of as kissing in the open, a "public display of affection). When I finally figured out PDA meant personal data assistant, I felt like I was now "in the know." Then came all that texting, web access on a postage stamp screen, (it must be like reading a whole page with a magnifying glass, (three letters at a time), and what I believe will be the next wave for cell phones.

The next big wave will be conference groups, which you may join for a small fee, like $5.99 per month per person in the conference group. Then, the leader will notify the group via text when the next meeting will be held. We already know where it will be: Wherever you are, you will have the meeting available. And there will be no limit to the number of groups you may join. Fees will graduate up for the number of groups and meetings you make yourself available for.

The boon to Verizon or Sprint or Nextel or AT&T will come in those who leave groups but never cancel their fees. They'll find out in about three years, "I'm paying for these obsolete groups at $6.00 a pop, and I'm getting nothing. Also, he will then realize that un-registering from a conference group will cost $2.99 each, with a return renewal within thirty days costing $8.99 again. So make really sure you wish to quit before quitting on the group.

After this, likely there will be added viewing groups, for college courses, museums and dog shows, in general the transference of TV to your cell phone. Miniaturized again, the price will remain higher than cable or dish was. And when it all is finally bundled together, $500.00 a month will take care of all your communication needs.

By that time, however, who will you really know? Will the sensation of touch still be available to common man? How will you develop deep and abiding friendships? A thought to consider: Is $500.00 per month the price we pay for exclusionary solitude? And when will false news stories be experienced by a portion of the populace, where no one else hears? "Did you hear about...?" The answer: "Well, no actually, I don't think it's true at all..."

Some argument that will become.

Learn more about this author, Dallas Brown.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.